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T O P I C R E V I E W

Robert Pearlman

Florida Today reports that veteran shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach will be joining "a major aerospace company," taking a job that will keep he and his wife, Charlotte, on Florida's Space Coast. He didn't disclose the name of the company.

"Our roots here are very deep, and we look forward to continuing our friendships and activities in the area. Our paths WILL cross again. Of that I am certain," Leinbach wrote in an e-mail Sunday to friends and colleagues.

His last day with NASA will be Wednesday. Leinbach said he would be joining the new company "very shortly."

"I have been blessed to be so fortunate in my career, but it's time to move on," Leinbach wrote. "Being part of America's space flight program was a dream of mine from a very early age. Trust me, I know how lucky I've been."

garymilgrom

Mike has come to seem like an old friend having watched so many launches with him at the helm. Good luck Mike!

issman1

As recently as 8 July 2011, NASA held a post-launch briefing in which Mr. Leinbach and Mike Moses updated the world's press and public.

It's ironic that before the year ended both have left government jobs for ones in the commercial space sector. Truly a sign of the times.

irish guy

A lucky few of us here were present in the press room on that wonderful day in July when the two Mikes gave each other a hug and shook hands what a team they were. Good luck Mike looking forward to seeing from you soon again!

United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced today (Jan. 16, 2012) that Mike Leinbach has joined the company as the Director of Human Spaceflight Operations.

"We are fortunate to have Mike with his wealth of human spaceflight experience join the ULA team," George Sowers, ULA's vice president of Business Development, said. "His background in leading overall space shuttle launch activities for more than a decade, executing 37 space shuttle launches, will be invaluable as we develop human spaceflight capabilities for our Atlas and Delta systems."

Prior to joining ULA, Leinbach had a distinguished 27-year career with NASA at Kennedy Space Center. Beginning in 2000, he led the launch team for all space shuttle missions, serving as the final "go" for launch, and as the senior operations expert for all flight elements and ground support equipment processing.

"With ULA having been selected as the launch vehicle of choice for three of the four Commercial Crew Development companies, Mike's expertise in human launch systems provides a strong synergy in bringing together two world-class launch cultures," said Jerry Jamison, vice president of Launch Operations.

Leinbach has been honored with numerous awards including the 2004 Presidential Rank Award, NASA's Exceptional Service Medal and NASA's Medal for Outstanding Leadership.

Leinbach holds a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture and a Master of Engineering in civil engineering with emphasis in structural dynamics from the University of Virginia.

United Launch Alliance program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colo. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., Harlingen, Texas, San Diego, Calif. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

Robert Pearlman

Space News has published an exclusive interview with Leinbach about his new job.

What is your new job?

I will be ULA's director of human spaceflight operations based at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, working to provide the commercial crew access providers with safe and reliable launch vehicles — Atlas principally, maybe Delta. It's a great job for an ops guy like me.

Are you going to have to wear a tie?

I hope not...

KSCartist

Great news

Jay Chladek

It is the perfect job for him in my opinion given his experience with launch criteria for space shuttles.

While I wasn't in the press room after 135 lifted off, I've seen Mike plenty of times at past launches I've attended and he truly took his responsibilities seriously and had a great love for the program as well.

These next few years as commercial begins to bring up new spacecraft designs which require the man rating of old and new boosters are going to require a very experienced guiding hand in charge.

Jim Behling

He has no experience in designing manrated vehicle, he can only provide his operations experience.

astro-nut

I would like to wish Mike all the best in his future and thank him for all his dedicated work at NASA/KSC.